Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, ARNP, EdD

What are risks for developing osteoarthritis?

Risk factors for osteoarthritis include being overweight (it stresses the workload your joints must bear), injury, smoking, and repeated overuse of certain joints.

How will your doctor diagnose osteoarthritis?

Your doctor will diagnose osteoarthritis based on your medical history and physical examination. He may order some other tests and X-rays

What will your doctor probably prescribe for arthritis?

According to the Arthritis Foundation, a good treatment program includes medication, physical and/or occupational therapy, and weight control.

*NSAIDs

If you're in pain, your doctor will probably prescribe an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.) Although many are available over-the-counter without a prescription, be careful.

Their side effects range from discomfort to deadly.

The most common side effect is bleeding in the stomach and intestines, and can be cause by something as seemingly innocuous as aspirin and ibuprofen-type drugs.

Nearly 50,000 people are hospitalized from taking too many NSAIDs a year, and some 6,000 die from complications directly related to taking NSAIDs. Almost 90% of patients admitted for stomach or intestinal bleeding had consumed NSAIDs in one study reported in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. Older adults in long-term care are at particular risk for hospitalization due to stomach or intestinal complications, according to a study reported in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.

Never combine aspirin or ibuprofen-type medications with alcohol, or you will be 4 times as apt to develop bleeding in your stomach or intestines.

* Tylenol

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is advertised as a safe alternative to NSAIDs, but it can damage your liver and kidney.

Thousands of people incur damage to their liver and kidneys from taking acetaminophen. Children are especially at risk when their parents given them liquid acetaminophen at the least sign of discomfort. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Midol IB, Bayer Select Pain Relief, Nuprin, IBU), and acetaminophen are useful for short-term, one or two day use, but should never be taken for more than a few days a month.

*Aleve.

Collagen is the glue that holds your tissues together. In one study reported in the British Journal of Pharmacology, Aleve was found to decrease collagen deposition at wound sites. A chronic pain relief program should be building the collagen you need between your body tissues, not destroying it.

*Remicade

The European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) reported recently that twenty-eight people in North America and Europe developed tuberculosis soon after they were given the anti-inflammatory drug Remicade (infliximab). Remicade is used to treat rheumatoic arthritis. The EMEA recommended that Remicade treatment should be stopped if active TB is suspected.

*Prednisone

If you have rheumatoid arthritis and your doctor prescribes prednisone, you may want to get a second opinion from another physician.

Findings presented at the 2000 annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians warned that even at very low doses daily use of this commonly prescribed oral steroid can double your risk of hip fractures and cataracts.


This article is excerpted from THE AMERICAN HOLISTIC NURSES' ASSOCIATION GUIDE TO COMMON CHRONIC CONDITIONS: SELF-CARE OPTIONS TO COMPLEMENT YOUR DOCTOR'S ADVICE, John Wiley, 2003. For more information on arthritis, ask your librarian to order the book, or click on the title below...



This article is for information only. For treatment, consult your health care provider.